Biotechnology Commons^™

Evaluation Of The Over-Expression Of A Miscanthus X Giganteus Ppdk (C4ppdk1) In Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum) For Improved Cold Temperature C4 Photosynthesis, Mathew Christian Halter

Masters Theses

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) has been proposed as a potential biofuel feedstock to aid in the displacement of petroleum-based combustible fuels over the course of the next several decades. Improving the yield potential of this perennial grass is therefore of economic interest. Increased net ethanol yields can be achieved in cellulosic feedstocks via two means: 1. Improved sugar release from digestible cell wall materials, 2. Increased overall biomass yield. The latter is the subject of this study.

As a C4 photosynthetic plant, switchgrass is highly productive in the hot, humid climate of the southeastern United States. By bypassing the …

Applications And Improvements In The Molecular Modeling Of Protein And Ligand Interactions, Jason Bret Harris

Doctoral Dissertations

Understanding protein and ligand interactions is fundamental to treat disease and avoid toxicity in biological organisms. Molecular modeling is a helpful but imperfect tool used in computer-aided toxicology and drug discovery. In this work, molecular docking and structural informatics have been integrated with other modeling methods and physical experiments to better understand and improve predictions for protein and ligand interactions. Results presented as part of this research include:

1.) an application of single-protein docking for an intermediate state structure, specifically, modeling an intermediate state structure of alpha-1-antitrypsin and using the resulting model to virtually screen for chemical inhibitors that can …

Value-Added Lignin Based Carbon Fiber From Organosolv Fractionation Of Poplar And Switchgrass, Andreas Attwenger

Masters Theses

Carbon fibers have unique properties that include high strength, low density and excellent chemical and thermal resistance. However, they have a low level of utilization because of their high price; typically around $30/kg for an entry level polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based carbon fiber. Low-cost carbon fibers derived from lignin are currently being investigated at the University of Tennessee, because using lignin as a precursor could significantly reduce production costs. Lignins obtained from the pulp and paper and the emerging biofuel industries have the potential to be used for carbon fiber production, however, they are typically unsuitable because of the high levels …

Evaluation Of Novel Multi-Dimensional Tissue Culturing Methods Using Autonomously Bioluminescent Human Cell Lines, James Dean Webb

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Genetic Engineering Of Yeast-Based Bioluminescent Reporters For Testing The Effect Of Human Estrogen Receptor Alpha Mutations On Its Transcriptional Activity, Peter Bowen Hjorth

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

No abstract provided.

Zyflamend, A Polyherbal Mixture, Down Regulates Class I And Class Ii Histone Deacetylases And Increases P21 Levels In Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells, E-Chu Huang, Yi Zhao, Guoxun Chen, Seung Joon Baek, Michael F. Mcentee, Steven Minkin, John P. Biggerstaff, Jay Whelan

Nutrition Publications and Other Works

Background

Zyflamend, a mixture containing extracts of ten herbs, has shown promise in a variety of preclinical cancer models, including prostate cancer. The current experiments were designed to investigate the effects of Zyflamend on the expression of class I and II histone deacetylases, a family of enzymes known to be over expressed in a variety of cancers.

Methods

CWR22Rv1 cells, a castrate-resistant prostate cancer cell line, were treated with Zyflamend and the expression of class I and II histone deacetylases, along with their downstream target the tumor suppressor gene p21, was investigated. Involvement of p21 was confirmed with siRNA knockdown …